It has its hitches, but if you love a good action or tower defense game, this one's for you.
But it's the gameplay that really shines here. Your ballista is capable of firing all sorts of shots, including mines, iron balls that can do a whole lot of damage (perfect for bringing down larger enemies and structures) and triple arrows. You actually gain extra points for headshots as well, though they can be tricky to pull off from a distance.
In addition, you can call upon ground forces to sweep up the mess, including soldiers and archers, as well as Gareth himself, who can be called in to hack and slash enemies like the mighty warrior he is. He's hardly invincible, but he's far more effective than the ballista sitting in the distance – especially on larger trolls and shielded enemies.
There are times that the missions can be excruciating, like when your soldiers go on strike (filthy whelps!), forcing you to use just one means of defense – the ballista – against soldiers. And the fact you can't see the entire map at once unless you're zoomed ALL the way out – where you can barely make out anything – can be challenging for some. But even if you fare better at other missions, there's more than enough to keep you returning here, especially when it comes to unlocking new gear, weapons and means to build your castle.
You can customize your own home in CastleStorm, and it's here that you can really fortify it however you wish, making walls stronger or setting up defenses so that they aren't so easily overrun by invading Viking forces. Though it takes a bit longer than the action stages, you'll soon be promptly rewarded when you're left standing tall – especially when you challenge other players online. And, I tell you, the multiplayer battles may just be the best part of the game – especially when ground forces are going at it in a winner-take-all scenario.
